This invention relates to fire fighting technology and particular to aerial fire fighting techniques.
Large area fires, such as forest and brush fires, present unique problems in containment and cause devastating effects on the environment, property and wild-life. They can spread quickly and can be difficult to contain and extinguish once they reach a certain size if there is an abundance of fuel and oxygen. Since they can start in very remote and inaccessible areas, attacking the fire from the air with “smoke jumpers” and spraying the area with fire retardant chemicals and/or water, with specially equipped low-flying aircraft and helicopters are commonly practiced fire fighting techniques. These aerial fire-fighting techniques are costly, risky to the fire-fighters and their aircraft and require a specially trained crew with diverse expertise.
A shortcoming of spraying of an area with fire retardant chemicals or water from aircraft is lack of precision in the delivery system. Inaccuracy is basically due to two factors, height and delivery speed. Due to concern for the safety of the aircraft, fire retardant chemicals or water are sprayed from a low flying aircraft from a height which is much higher than optimum. In addition when delivered with a relatively high flying speed they are dispersed to an area far larger than the desired target area so density and thus effectiveness on the target area is often less than optimal. The speed component of the inaccuracy of the delivery process can be somewhat eliminated by using a helicopter for the delivery. Using a bucket hanging from a helicopter with water or fire retardant chemicals has a higher probability of hitting a desired target. However, the amount that can be carried with helicopters is seldom enough to be effective, and it is very risky. In both methods, the lowest altitude of delivery of water or fire retardant chemicals is determined by the height of the flames and constraints imposed by smoke and air currents.
A more efficient and safer delivery system is needed for fighting fires.